After the untimely death of band director Joseph Christensen last year, the Iowa State music department had a tall order to fill in finding a replacement.

This semester, the department hired Michael Golemo, former assistant band director at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. He served as assistant director there for 15 years and also was in charge of the marching band.

“I had applied for many other positions, and because I have a family now, I have different criteria for taking a job,” Golemo said. “The job here had no negatives — it is a great program.

“This job was a good marriage between what I do well and what I love to do,” he said.

Golemo went through a lengthy process to become ISU’s band director.

After he submitted his r‚sum‚ with references, Golemo became a finalist and met with students and faculty.

The responsibilities of ISU’s band director include managing the band program and overseeing the athletic, jazz and concert bands.

Golemo primarily is in charge of the wind ensemble, the top concert band at ISU. He also assists with the marching band and teaches saxophone and music education classes.

“Dr. Golemo is much more active than most band directors,” said Martin Province, associate band director. “He doesn’t just show up on game day to hear the national anthem. He’s out on the field working with the marching band, and this is unusual.”

Province said Golemo hasn’t missed any marching band rehearsals.

“He’s much like Joe Christensen — he wants to make sure the band stays strong and gets better,” he said.

Golemo said it’s important for marching band students to know he is there to support them.

“In band, teachers and students get to know each other closely and what they want to do with their lives more so than other majors at ISU,” he said. “We’re a real tight family — everyone watches out for each other.”

The students and staff in the music department have been great to Golemo, he said.

“The faculty is incredible, enthusiastic and real genuine, and we work real well together as a team,” he said.

Chris Andringa, junior in exercise and sport science and member of the marching band, said he enjoys having a lot of interaction with Golemo.

“He is really easy to get along with,” Andringa said. “He’s not one of these guys who, because he’s in a lofty position, he doesn’t have anything to do with his students. He’s real personable.”

One of Golemo’s aspirations is to bridge contemporary and traditional music in the ISU band department. He hopes to develop musicians who can play jazz, pop and classical music.

“I really agonize over the kind of music I choose,” he said. “I really sweat about the level of music I choose to make sure I’m challenging my students and … to make sure there’s a well-rounded selection.”

Golemo hopes to work more with the wind ensemble to improve the members’ skills and challenge them.

“The goal is not to just play all the right notes in all the right places but to have people leave the concert with something more, to really experience the music visually and audibly,” he said.

The wind ensemble and symphonic band will be performing on Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Stephens Auditorium. The bands also will be performing Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. in the Recital Hall at the Music Hall.